Railway-signal.



No. 745,308. PATENTED NOV. 24, 1903.

` IJ. P. COLEMAN.

RAILWAY SIGNAL. APPLIOATIQN'HLBD DBO. 6, 1902, `No MODEL.

6, ewmg Q n Y TINTTED STATES JOHN PRESSLEY COLEMAN, OF EDGEWOOD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO vPatented November 2d,

PATENT OFFICE.

THE UNION SWITCH AND SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SVVISSVALE, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SIG NAL.

SPECEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 745,308, dated November 24, 1903.

A Application tiled December 6, 1902. Serial No. 134.132. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PEEssLEY COLE- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Edgewood, in the county ot' Allegheny and- State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Signals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto railway-signals, |o and particularly to that class of railway-signals in which the motive power therefor is in the form of fluid-pressure.

I will describe a railway-signal embodying my invention and then point out the novel i5 features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view, partly in elevation and partlyin vertical section, of a railway-signal embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa detail view, partly zo in vertical section, showing some of the parts of Fig. l in a different position. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing in elevation some of the parts of Fig. 2, but in a plane of view at right angles to the plane of view of Fig. l. Fig. 4 z5 is a detail sectional view of a part comprised in the railway-signal. In Fig. l I have diagrammatically illustrated a section of railroad-'track and such apparatus and circuits to show how the railway-signal of Fig. l may 3o be automatically controlled by the movement of a train or trains over asection of railroadtrack. l

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all ot' the figures. I will premise that wherever I herein use K the term' signal I mean a visual signal device which by its position relatively to its support or byits color gives indication of the service condition of the railroad-track or sec- 4o tion of railroad-track which it governs. Also wherever I herein use the term Huid-pressure I mean a liquid or. gas under pressure. I preferably employ a gas. Any gas may be employed-as for example, air or carbonicacid gas-and under any pressure which is suflicent or more than sufficient to operate the apparatus for moving the signal. It the pressure of the gas is above that required for the operation ofthe apparatus for 'moving the signal, reducing-valves may be employed in 5o their proper places.

Referring now to the drawings,Adesignates a visual signal device, here shownas being of the semaphore type, and comprising, asusual, a blade a and a counterweight a, which moves the blade to one position of indication, generally to a horizontal position of indication,` when the signal deviceis free to move-that is, when the signal device is not held by any agency'in a position indicating caution or 6o safetyf The signal device is therefore. biased to one position of indication, generally the'horizontal position, indicating daner. The signal device is ivoted 'as usual,

on a post or other support, and it is moved from one position of indication to another, generally from the horizontal position to a position indicating clear or safety, through the agency ot' a rod B.4 One end ot' the rod is operatively connected with the sig- 7o nal device, and the other end is operatively connected with the fluid-pressure mechanism or apparatus which is designed to move the signal device from one position of indication to another.

D designates the fluid-pressure mechanism vfor moving the signal from one position of indication to another. ,It is here shown as being inthe form of a motor consisting of a piston d and a cylinder d', within which the 8o piston moves. Fluid-pressure for operating the mechanism is here shown as being supplied from a tank or reservoir E, which may be of any size or capacity, or there may bea plurality of such tanks or reservoirs. The pressure of the gas may be maintained in the tank orreservoir in any desired manner. In the case of carbonio-acid gas or any other similar gas being employed to operate the fluidpressure mechanism, it is preferable that the 9o tank or reservoir be separately charged and afterward connected with the Huid-pressure mechanism. Instead, however, a charging pipe or pipes (see dotted lines, Fig. 1) may be connected with the tank or reservoir and the gas under pressure supplied through such pipe or pipes from any suitable source. Any' number of individual tanks or reservoirsmay be supplied with the fluid-pressure from a single source through one or a numberof pipelines. The fluid-pressure passes from the tank E to the fluid-pressure mechanism through a pipe or conduit e, which is controlled by an electrically-operated valve device D', through a passage e, which is controlled by a second electrically-operated valve device D2, and through a passage e3 to the cylinder d of the motor. The valve devices D and D2 may conveniently be substantially of the form and arrangementillustratedand described in United States Patent No. 357,109, issued February l, l887,forelectrical interlocking mechanism for switches and signals,to George Westinghouse, Jr., to which patent reference may be had for the details of construction and operation. It is only necessary to here state that each electrically-operated valve device has the functions of opening the supply of fluid-pressure` when the magnet comprised in the device is energized and of closing the supply of fiuidpressure when said magnet is denergized and opening an exhaust port or passage e to the atmosphere. (See Fig. 4.) Any electricallyoperated valve device having these functions may be employed.

. In this invention the fluid-pressure mechanism is designed only to move the signal device from one position of indication to auother, preferably from the danger position to the clear position. This is accomplished, as here shown, by a single stroke of the piston of the fluid-pressure mechanism. After the signaldevice has been moved by the fluidpressure mechanism it is locked in the position in which it has been moved by means hereinafter described, and at or about the time the signal device is locked in the position to which it has been moved the valve controlling the' supply of duid-pressure to the fluid-pressure mechanism is operated to cut off further supply to the fluid-pressure mechanism. As that {luid-pressure employed for operating the Huid-pressure mechanism is of no further use, it is desirable that it be per-- mitted to escape from the apparatus, and in the present instance the valve controlling the supply of huid-pressure acts to open a port or passage through which the Huid-pressure used for operating the fluid-pressure mechanism may escape to the atmosphere. It is obvious that a second valve suitably operated may be employed for this purpose. When it becomes necessary that the signal device shall give an indication dierent from that given in the position to which it has been moved by the fluid-pressure mechanism and locked, the said means for locking the signal device are rendered ineffective, leaving the signal device free to be moved by the counterweight acted upon by gravity.

The means for locking the signal device in the position to which it has been moved by the fluid-pressu re mechanism are here shown as comprising a fluid-pressure mechanism the supply of Huid-pressure to which is electrically controlled and a locking device operated by said fluid-pressure mechanism.

D3 designates the iuid-pressu re mechanism, here shown as comprising a diaphragm d2, which is held atits peripheral edge by a capplate or cover d3 for the chamber d, in which the diaphragm is located. One side of the diaphragm is in communication through a port or passage e4 with the passage e', so that the fluid-pressure may act upon it.

dT designates a projection carried by the diaphragm through which the motion of the diaphragm in one direction is communicated to a lever c7, which is hinged at one end.

The supply of Huid pressure to the Huidpressure mechanism D3 is under the control of ,the electrically-operated valve device D'.

C designates the locking device, and as here shown it comprises a pawl cs and a lever f c1 in the form of a bell-crank which engages the pawl c3. The pawl c8 is pivoted at one of its ends on a pin cl2, carried in a yoke portion c, formed in the rod B, preferably at its lower end, and it is provided with a toe portion cl3, which is adapted to engage the lever c4. The lever c4 is pivoted on a pin c2, the ends of which are suitably held in some xed part of the railwaysignal--as,forexample,thecasing C'. The lever c4 is also provided with a roller c5, suitably journaled in the lever and with which `the pawl c3 engages, and with a stop c, here shown as being the end of the lever which abuts against the rod B or the casing C to limit the movement of the lever in one direction. The lever c4 is moved on its pivot in one direction through the agency of a rod o8, one end of which is connected to the lever c4 and its other end to the lever c7. The side members of the yoke c are provided with longitudinallyextending slots c', through ,which thepin c2 extends. These slots permit of the rod B and its connections moving independently of the pin c2 and the lever c. The effective position of the locking device is shown in Fig. 1. In this position the rod B, the yoke c, and the pawl c3, under the influence of the counterweight d', act downwardly to restore the piston d to the bottom of the cylinder. Such action, however, is prevented by the lever c4, which is engaged by the pawl through the roller c5 so long as pressure exists under the diaphragm. By reason of the relation of the journal of the roller c5 to the pivots cl2 c2, it lying outside of a line vdrawn through the pivots cl2 c2, the weight of the signal and connected parts (rod B, dac.) is transmitted lh rough the pawl cB to the periphery of the roller c5 and through its journal to the center c2 of the lever c4 and tends to force the lever c4 outward on its center c2 and also to force the pawl c3 outward with the lever c4 to bring the toe portion cl3 into engagement with the lever c4. The pawl c3, roller c5 and its journal, and the lever c4 form, in effect, a toggle-joint. When the pressure is relieved IOO from under diaphragm, the lever c4 moves outward on vits pivot c2 and with it the pawl c3, thus bringing the toe portion 012 against the lever c4. In consequence of this the roller c5 is moved from under the pawl and revolves on its journal and ceases to support the pawl, which swinging clear of the lever c4 and roller c5 descends and forces the piston to the bottom of the cylinder. The parts are thon in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the signal device is in the horizontal or danger position of indication. Whentluid-pressure is again admitted under the diaphragm and to the cylinder d, the roller c5 is again moved to the position shown in Fig. l, stop c6 limiting its movement, and the piston moves the rod B upward, and with it the pawl c2, which moves past the roller and is afterward moved over` the roller by the spring o9. At about this time the Huid-pressure is cut off from the cylinder, but maintained under the diaphragm. The pressure being removed from ton settle down and nally assume the position shown in Fig. l.

In order to provide for cutting od the supply of duid-pressure to the duid-pressure mechanism D after it has moved the signal device to the clear position of indication, so that it is or may be locked, I-may employ a switch device or circuit-breaker to open the circuit through the valve device D2. CB designates such a device, and it is preferably positively operated in two directions by a movable part or parts comprised in the railway-signal, thus having the railway-signal automatic in its operation of cutting oi the supply of duid-pressure. The circuit-breaker CB is here shown as comprising a movable arm h, a portion of which h may be of insulating materialor of material suitablyinsulatedfrom another portion h2, which latter portion is in electrical connection with a bindingpost h3. The arm his so mounted thatit will be prevented byfriction orothermeansfrom moving except when operated by said movable part or parts. The arm h is adapted to make contact, and thus close a circuit, with a spring h4, in electrical connection with a bindingpost h5. The binding-posts h3 and h5 are in the present instance suitably insulated from their support. The arm h is moved to break contact with the arm h4 and open a circuit including the electrically-operated valve device D2 when moved in one direction and to make contact and close the said circuit when moved in the opposite direction. The arm is moved by the piston d to open the circuit and by a pin or projection h6, carried by the rod B, to

close the circuit. The circuit through the` electrically-operated valve device is preferably not opened until after the pawlc' has been moved past the roller c5 and all the parts comprised in the locking means are in position to eftectually lock the signal device in the clear position, and the circuit is preferably and the usual circuits and apparatus connected therewith for controlling a circuit, including the valvedevices D and D2. T designates the parallel lines ot' rail-sections which constitute the railroad-track, TB the trackbattery, the poles of which are electrically connected with the parallel lines of rail-sections, and TR the track-relay magnet, the terminals of the winding of Which are also electrically connected with the parallel lines of the rail-sections. It Will be understood that when no train or pair of Wheels is on the parallel lines of rail-sections and when there is no break in the electrical continuity of the rail-sections or the electrical connections between the rail-sections and battery or railsections and relay the current from the battery TB will flow through the relaymagnet TR, thus attracting its armature r and holding it in contact with a point or plate 1. When a train or pair of wheels is on the parallel lines of rails, it acts as a short circuit for the battery TB, thus shunting the current from the relay-magnet TR, which then becomes denergized and allows the a'rmature fr to fall away from and break the contact at l and against a pointor plate 2. Preferably with the circuit-breaker CB closed when the armature r is attracted to lthe track relay-magnet TR and it makes a contact atl a circuit will be closed through the magnets of both the valve devices. The circuit for the magnet of the valve device D', startingr from the battery Z, is wire 3, armature 7',

contact-point l, Wire 4, magnet of the valve device D, and wire 5 back to battery. The circuit for the magnet of the valve device D2, starting from the battery Z, is wire 3, armature r, contact point l, wires 4, circuit breaker or switch CB', wire 6, magnet of valve device D2, and wires 7 and 5 back to battery Z. It will be observed that the armature r is common to the circuit of both magnets and is, in effect, a circuit-breaker. When it is not against contact-point l, the circuits through the magnets of both the valve'devices will be open.

The operation of a railway-signal having my improvement is as follows: When the railway-signal is in service and no train is on the railroad-track or section of railroad-track which the railway-signal governs and the track-circuit is complete, the parts comprised in the railway-signal are in the position shown in Fig. l, the signal device being `in asv IOO

the clear position. In this position it will' be seen that the piston d of-the motor engaged the arm h of the circuit-breaker CB and moved it to break its contact with the plate h4, and thus open the circuit through the magnet of the valve device D2, the magnet of which being denergized moves its valve to stop the fiow of iiuidpressure to the cylinder d and open an exhaust for any fluidpressure in the cylinder` to the atmosphere. The circuit of the magnet of the valve device D', however, is still complete, and the fluidpressure therefore will be free to act under the side of the diaphragm of the duid-pressure mechanism D3, which in turn holds the lever c7 in an elevated position and the roller c5 of the bell-crank` lever under the latch c3 to have the locking device C in its effective position. Should, however, a train enter the railroad-track or section of railroad-track controlled by the railway-signal, the track relay-magnet will be denergized, as hereinbefore explained, and the armature o' will fall away from contact-point l, thus opening the circuit of the magnet of the valve device D. Fluid-pressure will then be cut oif from the motor D2, and the locking device will then become ineffective and permit the counterweight to move the signal device to a position indicating danger in the manner hereinbefore described. The parts of the locking device and the Huid-pressure mechanism D will then be in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the piston d of the duid-pressure mechanism D will have moved to the lower end of the cylinder to be again acted upon by the fluid-pressure when the magnet of the controlling device D2 is again energized. When the piston d moves toward the bottom of the cylinder, the arm 7L of the circuit-breaker CB is again operated, but this time by the pin he, to close the circuit of the valve device D2, thus leaving the only break in the circuit of the valve device D2 at contact-point 1. As soon as the railroad-track or section of railroad-track is clear of a train or pair of wheels of the train and the current from the battery TB can again iiow through the track relaymagnet TR the armature r will again move against contact-point l, and the circuit will then be complete through the magnets of both valve devices. When this is done, duidpressure will then be admitted to both fluidpressure mechanisms to operate theln and have their parts and the parts of the railwaysignal again assume the position shown in Fig. 1.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a fluid-pressure mechanism operatively connected therewith for moving the signal device from one position of indication to another position of indication, a second Huid-pressure mechanism and a locking device operated thereby for locking the signal device to the position of indication to which it has been moved by saidiirst-mentioned fluid-pressure mechanism, and a plurality of electrically-operated valves for controlling thesupply of fluid-pressure to said duid-pressure mechanisms.

2. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a fluid-pressure mechanism operatively connected therewith for moving the signal device from one position of indication to another, a locking device for locking the signal device in the position to which it has been moved, a fluid-pressure mechanismfor operating the locking device, a fluid-pressure supply, an electrically-operated valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to both the fluid-pressure mechanisms and an exhaust for the fluid-pressure mechanism operating the locking device, and an electrically-operated valve for controlling the supply of fluidpressure tothe duid-pressure mechanism connected with the signal device and an exhaust from such Huid-pressure mechanism.

3. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a fluid-pressure mechanism for moving said signal device from one position of indication to another, a locking device, a second duid-pressure mechanism for operating the said locking device, a fluid-pressure supply for said duid-pressure mechanisms, an electrically-operated valve for controlling the supply of Huid-pressure to each of said Huid-pressure mechanisms, an electric circuit and source of current for each of said electrically-operated valves, a circ uit-breaker common to both of said circuits, and a circuitbreaker in the circuit of the electrically-operated valve of the duid-pressure mechanism for moving the signal device.

4. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a fluid-pressure mechanism for moving said signal device from one position of indication to another, a locking device, a second Huid-pressure mechanism for operating said locking device, a duid-pressure supply for said fluid-pressure mechanisms, electrically-operated valves for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to said Huid-pressure mechanisms, a normally closed circuit for the valve controlling the supply of {inidpressure to the mechanism operating the locking device, and a circuit for the valve controlling the supply of Huid-pressure to the mechanism for moving the signal device which circuit is adapted to be opened when the fluidpressure mechanism is operated by the fluidpressure.

5. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a fluid-pressure mechanism for moving said signal device from one position of indication to another, a locking device, a second duid-pressure mechanism for operating said locking device, a fluid-pressure supply for said duid-pressure mechanisms, an electrically-operated valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to each of said duid-pressure mechanisms, an electric circuit and source of current for each of said electrically-operated valves,and a circuit-breaker, operated by a moving part comprised in the railway-signal, included in the circuit of the electrically-operated valve device controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to the second Huid-pressure mechanism, whereby the said circuit is opened When the signal device is in a clear position of indication and closed when the signal device is in a danger position of indication. i

6. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a Huid-pressure mechanism operatively connected therewith for moving 'the signal device from one position of indication to another, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to said mechanism, said valve being adapted when it has cut off the supply of fluid-pressure to open the fluidpressure mechanism tothe atmosphere,means operated from the fluid-pressure mechanism for effecting a movement of the said valve to have it cut oi the supply of huid-pressure after the signal device has been moved by the fluid-pressure mechanism, a locking device for holding the signal device in the position to Which it has been moved, a fluidpressure mechanism for operating the locking means and a valve for controlling the supply of fluid-pressure to the last-mentioned fluid-pressure mechanism.

7. In a railway-signal, the combination of a signal device, a means operably 'connected with the signal device -for moving it from one position of indication to another, and locking means for locking the signal device in the position to which it has been moved independently of the moving means, said locking 

